Mangave plant named ‘BARNEY’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of Mangave plant named ‘BARNEY’ is disclosed, characterized by a fountain-shaped plant with a moderate to fast growth rate. Foliage has a rich purple coloration and is deeply channeled and recurved. Plants have a moderate growth rate and are slower to flower than other Mangaves, resulting in longer lived plants in cultivation. The new variety is an Mangave, typically produced as a garden or container plant.

Latin name of the genus and species: Mangave hybrid.

Variety denomination: ‘BARNEY’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The new cultivar is a product of a planned breeding program. The seedparent is a proprietary, unnamed, unpatented Mangave hybrid. The pollenparent is a proprietary, unnamed, unpatented Mangave hybrid. Thecrossing was made in July of 2016 at a commercial greenhouse in Vista,Calif. ‘BARNEY’ was found and selected by the inventor in August of 2017at the same greenhouse in Vista, Calif.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar ‘BARNEY’ was first performed bytissue culture at a commercial laboratory in Vista, Calif. in August of2017. ‘BARNEY’ has since produced several generations and has shown thatthe unique features of this cultivar are stable and reproduced true totype.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar ‘BARNEY’ has not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature, day length, and lightintensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘BARNEY’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘BARNEY’ as a new and distinct Mangave cultivar:

-   -   1. Rich purple coloration of leaves in full sun.    -   2. Fountain shaped growth habit.    -   3. Moderate to fast growth rate.    -   4. Slower to flower than other Mangaves which translates to        longer lived plants in cultivation. Flowering not observed to        date.    -   5. Deep channeled recurved leaves.

PARENTAL COMPARISON

Plants of the new cultivar ‘BARNEY’ are similar to the seed parent inmost horticultural characteristics. However, plants of the new varietydiffer from the seed parent in the following:

-   -   1. The new variety forms a larger plant than the seed parent.    -   2. The new variety has stronger recurved leaves than the seed        parent.    -   3. The new variety has denser purple coloration than the seed        parent.

Plants of the new cultivar ‘BARNEY’ are similar to the pollen parent inmost horticultural characteristics. However, plants of the new varietydiffer in the following:

-   -   1. The new variety has upright, recurved, channeled leaves on        found on the pollen parent.    -   2. The new variety produces a fountain shaped plant, not found        in the pollen parent.    -   3. The new variety has a different purple coloration than the        pollen parent.

COMMERCIAL COMPARISON

‘BARNEY’ can be compared to the commercial variety Mangave ‘PurplePeople Eater’ U.S. Plant Pat. No. 29,949. The two Mangave varieties aresimilar in most horticultural characteristics; however, the new varietydiffers in the following:

-   -   1. The new variety forms a more fountain-shaped plant than this        comparator.    -   2. The new variety has more greyed-purple coloration to the        leaves than this comparator.    -   3. The new variety has foliage which is more strongly recurved        and channeled than this comparator.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying photograph illustrates in full color typical plants of‘BARNEY’ grown in a greenhouse in Vista, Calif. This plants areapproximately 16 months old, shown in 1-gallon containers. Thephotograph was taken using conventional techniques and although colorsmay appear different from actual colors due to light reflectance it isas accurate as possible by conventional photographic techniques.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Color Chart, 2007 edition, except where generalterms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. The followingobservations and measurements describe ‘BARNEY’ plants in a commercialgreenhouse in Vista, Calif. Temperatures ranged from 21° C. to 25° C.during the day, and 18° C. to 21° C. during the night. No artificiallight, photoperiodic treatments or chemical treatments were given to theplants. Natural light conditions were approximately 2500 to 3000 fc oflight. Measurements and numerical values represent averages of typicalplant types.

-   Botanical classification: Mangave hybrid ‘BARNEY’.-   Age of the plant described: About 18 months.

PROPAGATION

-   Root description: Thick (4 to 8 mm diameter), dense. Near RHS    Yellow-White 158C.-   Propagation method: Tissue culture.

PLANT

-   Growth habit: Fountain-shaped rosette.-   Container size: 1 gallon.-   Height: Approximately 14 cm.-   Plant spread: Approximately 30 cm.-   Growth rate: Moderate to fast.-   Branching characteristics: No branches.

FOLIAGE

-   Leaf:    -   -   Arrangement.—Rosette.        -   Average length.—Average 10-12 cm.        -   Average width.—Average 4.0 to 4.5 cm.        -   Shape of blade.—Broad lanceolate to narrow deltate.        -   Apex.—Acuminate, sharp.        -   Base.—Clasping.        -   Aspect.—Strongly recurved and channeled.        -   Margin.—Moderately sharply serrate. Serrations small, about            2 mm to 3 mm tall and about 3 mm wide at base. Regularly            spaced about 3 mm apart. Colored near Greyed-Purple N186C            flushed N186B.        -   Texture of top surface.—Glabrous, rough.        -   Texture of bottom surface.—Glabrous, rough.        -   Quantity of leaves per plant.—Average 25.        -   Color.—Young foliage upper side: Near RHS Greyed-Green 191B,            densely covered with irregularly sized rounded blotches            colored near Greyed-Purple N187B and N187C (colors subtly            blended together). Blotches about 4 to 8 mm in diameter,            densely spaced and overlapping. Purple coloration covers            about 60% of the leaf blade. Overall glaucous coloration            near Greyed-Purple N187C. Young foliage under side: Near RHS            Greyed-Green 191B, densely covered with irregularly sized            rounded blotches colored near Greyed-Purple N187B and N187C            (colors subtly blended together). Blotches about 4 to 8 mm            in diameter, densely spaced and overlapping. Purple            coloration covers about 60% of the leaf blade. Overall            glaucous coloration near Greyed-Purple N187D. Mature foliage            upper side: Near RHS Greyed-Green 191B and 191C, densely            covered with irregularly sized rounded blotches colored near            Greyed-Purple N187B and N187C (colors subtly blended            together). Blotches about 4 to 8 mm in diameter, densely            spaced and overlapping. Purple coloration covers about 60%            to 80% of the leaf blade. Overall glaucous coloration near            Greyed-Purple N187C. Mature foliage under side: Near RHS            Greyed-Green 191B and 191C, densely covered with irregularly            sized rounded blotches colored near Greyed-Purple N187B and            N187C (colors subtly blended together). Blotches about 4 to            8 mm in diameter, densely spaced and overlapping. Purple            coloration covers about 60% to 80% of the leaf blade.            Overall glaucous coloration near Greyed-Purple N187D.            Venation: Linear. Color indistinguishable from leaf blade.

FLOWER

-   Not observed.

REPRODUCTIVE ORGANS

-   Not observed.

OTHER CHARACTERISTICS

-   Seeds and fruits: Not observed.-   Temperature tolerance: Tolerates temperatures from approximately 0°    to at least 35° C. Low temperature improved if plants are kept dry.-   Disease/pest resistance: Neither resistance no susceptibility to    normal diseases and pests of Mangave observed.

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Mangave plantnamed ‘BARNEY’ as herein illustrated and described.